Task 4

The main theme for my work is juxtaposition and the conflicts often found in these. I've decided to take a Chinese theme to my work as it represents an important aspect of my life dating from the time i studied Chinese Language at University. As such, this has drawn me to see the conflicts in cultural alienation; but also had led to an appreciation of the contrasts and similarities within the different cultures which power the dynamics. Therefore, this is a personal journey which is leading me to look for sources and references to strengthen or refute my position. My intended sources will therefore draw heavily from both the Asian and Westernized schools of thought. however, I am also looking to gain inspiration and inform my methodology by investigating experimental practitioners who have undertaken similarly themed work as regards such dynamic tensions previously.

http://thenewpostliterate.blogspot.com/2009/06/experimental-calligraphy-from-mk-jcbsn.html

Experimental calligraphy - This has influenced my practice because following the session that it was mentioned that Graphic Design students find experimental practice harder, his work takes fonts and typography, a subject I am familiar with from a Graphics perspective and re-describes it in a post literate manor freeing the words from the shackles of structure and form but subjecting them to contextual variations in order to emote a response. Therefore, I am intending to use this as a tool to break the rigidity of my learned responses and allow me to reform the fragments into a form of my choosing.

http://www.wimp.com/dragonlollipop/

Caramel art - At the moment I am trying to deconstruct my learned thinking in a way that will then allow me a position from which I can respond in a personal and appropriate manor as opposed to in the manor to which I have been trained to think. This video has inspired me to try different things, although I have not yet had opportunity to progress far along the process. this is something that I would like to experiment with to see what type of results can be achieved by drawing in this way.

http://www.iseaartexhibit.org/gallery/73051/2011%20Washington

I had a look at the International Society of Experimental Artists 2011 Washington Exhibition, I saw a painting on Page 3 by Kathleen Conover that really struck me. I then went to look up her home page:

http://www.kathleenconover.com/originalartwork.html

and found that the methodology behind the painting was by the pouring of pigments and natural weather conditions to form the basics of the image which she then enhanced with further painting. I experimented with this technique by pouring primary pigment watercolours over large sheets of watercolour paper, in my back garden. Whilst fending off cats I tried to allow my mind to conjour images from what I saw in the patterns formed in the drying paint. In one, I outlined a variety of images I saw whereas the other appeared to me to be a destructive fire raging through a forest, rather than highlight flames I painted a wildlife scene of the endagered panda, backed by bamboo shoots and by tearing and burning the edges I super-imposed this over that scene to draw parallels with the catastrophic use of slash and burn deforestation techniques upon Gaia.

At the moment, I have trouble trying to debate the position of the influences, references and resources I have found due to the fact that at present, I don't know my own opinion. As such, I am still going through a formative and research process trying to find works that speak to me. From them I aim to locate my position  , allowing me to begin a more complete and full exploration of Experimental Practice from a perspective of some consistency.